Fluid flow meter mechanism



Nov. 2, 1943. G. H. FISHER FLUID mow METER mscrmuzsm Filed May 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 4

INVENTOR 6 H FISHER w-ra a? Nov. 2, 1943.

G. H. FISHER FLUID FLOW METER MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 17, 1941 FIG. 3

Fla 2 INVENTOR G H FISHER ATTOR Patented Nov. 2, 1943 FLUID FLOW METER MECHANISM Gordon H. Fisher, Dewey, kla., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation of Delaware Application May 17, 1941, Serial No. 394,040

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the measurement of fluid flow and more particularly to an apparatus for measuring the rate of fluid flow through various types of passages, including well bores, casing and the like.

It is often to the interest of the operator of a hydrocarbon oil or gas property to know the rate of flow of fluid at various depths in a well bore, especially in the bottom of the well bores, as a hydrocarbon-bearing formation is usually not productive of hydrocarbon fluids throughout its entire thickness. The productive zones may also vary in'their capacity to produce fluid. A knowledge of these conditions enables the operator to better conserve the natural reservoir energy and to more efliciently operate his wells. Further, in the event of pressure maintenance or secondary recovery operations, it is important for the operator to know which zones are produc tive of hydrocarbon fluid, because it is into these zones that fluid, which is used for secondary recovery or pressure maintenance, may be injected.

By the practice of my invention, I am able to observe the rate of fluid flow from the various 7 productive zones of a hydrocarbon-bearing forductive zones. '1 am also able to observe the rate of fluid flow in other parts of the well bore, such as in the casing. It will be noted that the rate of fluid flow may be indicated on a chart at the surface of the ground, together with the depth of the fluid velocity measurement. I This will provide information which will be very useful in determining the proper methods of recovering hydrocarbon fluids from underground formations. Myinvention is also very useful in determining the flow of fluid into a reservoir during secondary recovery operations. My device is simple in construction and operation and may be readily transported from place to place.

Myinvention has for its primary object the provision of an apparatus for measuring the rate of fluid flow through various types of passages, including well bores, casing and the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for locating the productive zones of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation and for determining the rate of fluid flow therefrom.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an apparatus to determine the rate of flow of fluid from a well bore to a formation.

nexed drawings which pertain to preferred embodiments of my invention, wherein Figure l is an elevation view, partly in cross section of one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation view, partly incross section of the flow device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation view, partly in cross section of the flow device employed in a second embodiment of my invention; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of part of the surface equipment employed in the second embodiment of my invention.

Figure 5 is an end view of the impeller shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure l, I have shown a well bore which is designated by reference numeral Ill. The well bore is provided with well casing ll which extends downwardly from the surface of the ground [2. A closure l3, which is provided with an outlet conduit is threadedly connected to the upper end of the casing and is adapted to connect with a substantially vertical tubular member or lubricator" l5, which is closed at the top by a stufiing box It. The stuffing box is preferably provided with a pulley ll. It will be noted that the above apparatus provides a closed system whereby any fluid in well bore l0 may flow upwardly through the casing and be withdrawn through conduit M to any desired disposal apparatus (not shown) Reference numeral I8 generally designates a flow device, which will be described further along in-this specification. Flow device 3 is lowered into the well bore from the surface of the ground by means of a conductor cable I9, which is spooled on a drum 20. The drum is rotated by any known means (not shown) to "run the flow meter in and out of the well bore at the wi l of the operator. It is to be noted that the cable passes through the lubricator and stufling box which are used to facilitate the running of the flow meter in the well bore. A depth measurement device 2| is placed intermediate pulley H and drum 2!) and is actuated by the cable to indicate the depth of the flow meter as it is run in and out of the well bore. Measuring device 2| is connected by any suitable means, such as a shaft 22, to a pair of chart drums 23 which carry a chart 2!. Drum 20 is provided with a plurality of slip rings 25 and 25 which are connected to the conductor cable that isspooled on the drum. Slip ring 25 contacts a brush 21 which is attached to a lead 28 and slip ring 26 contacts a brush 19 which is attached to a lead 30. Leads 28 and 30 connect to a source of elec-' tric energy, such as a battery 3|, which is used in this embodiment of my invention to electrically transfer the changes in the fluid velocity from flow device l8 to the surface of the ground. An

indicating device 32 utilizes the'electrical energy in lead 30 in such a manner that it will cause a stylus 33 to indicate on chart 24 the rate of fluid flow through device l8. It is obvious that the chart may be calibrated to read in any desired 10 units, such as barrels per day.

The indicating device 32 may be of the type disclosed in the patent to Howell 2,288,278 which utilizes a frequency meter which is responsive to pulsations in an electrical circuit and connected with a recorder. If desired a photographic type recorder shown in the patent may be employed in place of the stylus type shown in Figure 1.

However, no novelty is claimed in the structure of such devices per se since they are quite .well

known.

Turning next to Figure 2 for a description of the flow device, it will be noted that the device consists of a hollow outer tube '34 which is threadedly connected at the upper end to a spider top and at the lower end to a base 36. An insert 31 .is positioned within the base and is provided with a central passage that is tapped at the bottom to receive an intake flow tube 38, and

that is similarly tapped at the top to engage with 30 a discharge flow tube 39 which extends upwardly to the top of outer tube 34. It is to be noted that the intake and discharge tubes and th central passage preferably have equal internal diameters to provide a substantially even flow of fluid there- 3 through. A rotatable shaft 4|, which is journaled in the central portion of the insert and which is positioned diametrically across passage 40, has an impeller 42 rigidly mounted thereon, whichv may freely rotate in passage 40. One end o'f shaft 40 4| is secured to a commutator 43 which rotates with the turning of the shaft. The commutator makes and breaks an electric circuit including the cable l3, leads 28 and 30, and battery 3|. It

will be noted that the following parts of my apparatus are used and described in pairs, however,. only one of eachfof these pairs is shown in the drawings: .A pair of openings 44' isprovided in the insert to accommodate a' pair of brushes 45 whichis urged against the commutator by a pairof, conductor springs 45, which in turn is held in place by a pair of terminal screws 41. The terminalscrews are connected with the leadsof conductor cable I9. The lower end of the cable passes" through a packing element 43 to the ter- 55 minal screws to which the leads of the cable are attached." Y

In operation, the apparatus illustrated inFigures 1 and 2 is assembled atthe surface of the ground. Let us assume that it is desiredto' dle- 60 termine the rate of flow of well fluid upwardly through bore l0 and casing H. Device 18 is loweredthrough the casing and the well bore at a uniform rate of speed by means of cable IS. A

Proportional amount of the total fluid flowing 05 .past device l3 will enter fluid intake tube 38 and flow upwardly through the intake tube, passage 40, fluid discharge tube 39,, and spider 35. The flow of fluid through passage 40 rotates impeller 42, which rotates commutator 43. of the commutator makes and breaks the electric circuit so that the electric current supplied by battery 3| actuates indicating device 32. (As stylus 33 is responsive to the indicating device, the

rate of rotation of impeller 42 may be indicated 75 The rotation 70 i on chart 24 in any desired units of rate of flow by proper calibration of the chart. Chart 24 also indicates the depth of the flow device, as the chart drums are suitably connected to depth measuring device 2|. Thus, a continuous log of the rate of fluid flow may be obtained for the entire depth of the bore hole, as the device is lowered into or withdrawn from the well here.

Turning next to Figures 3 and 4 for the description of the second embodiment of my invention, it will be noted that like numerals refer to like parts of the two embodiments. In Figure 3, shaft 4| is secured to a bevel gear 49 which meshes with a second bevel gear 50 that is secured to a substantially vertical shaft 5|. Shaft 5| is journaled in insert 31 and has a well known selfsynchronous generator, such as a Selsyn generator 52, mounted on the upper end. The leads of conductor cable l9 are connected to generator 52 in any manner well known in the art. Re-

ferring to Figure 4, drum 20 is provided with slip rings 53 and 54 which make a'sliding contact between the primary and secondary leads of conductor cable [9, and primary leads 55 by means of brushes 56, and secondary leads 5! by means of brushes 58, respectively. Leads 55 and 5'! connect to a Selsyn motor 59 whichis employed in' this embodiment toactuate indicating device 32 by any suitable means,.such as shaft 60.

It will be noted that a source of single phase al- Indicating device 32 utilizes the rotation of shaft 60 to register the rate of rotation of the impeller in flow device l8 on-chart 24 which is calibrated to indicate thereon in desired'units the rate of During injection o'f'the fluid into an underground reservoir in secondary 'recoveryoperations, both ofthe above described embodiments of this invention may be readily employed to determine the rate offluid flow atvarious levels in a well bore. When my invention is utilized for this purpose, the passage offluid through. the

well bore and through device I8 is in a'reverse direction, namelm, downwardly through the well bore and the device. At such times, tube 39 serves as the intake flow tube while tube -.38 serves as the discharge flow tube. The apparatus operates as outlined earlier in this specification in all other respects.

From the foregoing,.it is believed that the op eration and advantages of .the apparatus for practicing my in tant invention will be readily comprehended by persons skilled in the art. It is to be clearly understood, however, that various changes in the apparatus shown and described maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

1. In apparatus of the character described 7 adapted for indicating and recording a wide range of fluid flow, the combination comprising a case adaptedtoi be moved through a well bore,

a flowtube of substantially uniform diameter throughout its length extending through the case and including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet adapted for substantially unrestricted flow o! well fluid therethrough, an impeller disposed in said flow tube and rotatable at a rate proportional to the flow of fluid, means disposed within the case and removed from the path of fluid flow including a rotatable member connected with said impeller adapted to generate impulses in an electrlcal circuit proportional to the rate of fluid flow through said flow tube and means exterior to the well bore for continuously recording variations in the rate of well fluid flow through said flow tube in proportion to the rate at which said impulses are generated.

2.- In apparatus of 'the character describedadapted for indicating and recording a wide range of fluid flow, the combination comprising a case adapted to be moved through a well bore, a flow tube of substantially uniform diameter throughout its length extending through the case and including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet adapted for substantially unrestricted flow of well fluid therethrough, packing elements maintaining said flow tube centrally disposed in said case, an impeller disposed on a horizontal axis in said flow tube and rotatable at a rate proportional to the flow oi fluid, means disposed within the case and removed from the path of fluid flow including a V rotatable commutator connected with said impeller, brushes associated with said commutator;

throughout its length extendingthrough the case and including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet adapted for substantially unrestricted flow of well fluid thereth'rough, packing elements maintaining said flow tube centrally disposed in said case, an impeller disposed on a horizontal axis in said flow tube and rotatable at a rate proportional to the flow of fluid, means disposed withflow tube and a frequency meter for continuously recording variations in the rate of'well fluid flow 7 through said flow tube in proportion to the rate at which said impulses are generated.

4. In apparatus of the character described adapted for indicating and recording a 'wide range of fluid flow, the combination comprisirg a case adapted to be moved through a well 1 3'6, a flow tube of substantially uniform diameter throughout its length extending through the case and including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet adapted for substantially unrestricted flow of well fluid therethrough, packing elements maintaining said flow tube centrally disposed in said case, an impeller disposed on a horizontal axis in said flow tube and rotatable at a rate'proportional to the flow of fluid, a Selsyn generator disposed within the case connected with the impeller for generating impulses in an electrical circuit proportional to the rate oi fluid flow through said flow tube, a Selsyn motor connected in the electrical circuit at a point exterior to the well bore and operating in synchronism with the generator 'and means connected with the Selsyn motor iorcontinuously recording variations in the rate of well fluid flow through said flow tube in propor--' tion to the rate GORDON H. FISHER. 

